Improvement in umbrellas



PENICKS & HEFFLY.

Q Umbrella.

' Patented June 28, 1870.

theta same patient and.

HEFFLY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Letters Patent No.104,877, dated June 28, 1870.

, IMPROVEMENT IN UMBRELLAS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, THoMAs B. PnNroKs, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and J OSEPH HEFELY, of Washington, in the county of Washington and Dis-- trict of Columbia, have invented certain Improvements in Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing;

Our invention relates -'to umbrellas, and consists in the novel construct-ion and arrangement of a spring catch for holding the frame open or closed, as desired, and also in the employment of a novel stop for limiting the upward movement of the runner to which "the braces of the frame are pivoted.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the frame of the umbrella opened, showing the st-op for limiting the upward movement of the slide and the device for holding it in position; and

Figure 2 is side elevation of a portion of the stick and handle.

As is well.'-;known, umbrella-sticks are usually provided with two wire springs, which enter a slot in the runner to which the braces of the frame are pivoted. One of these springs holds the frame closed when firldech'and' the other up when it is opened. When the runner is released from these springs it is free to turn, in a limited manner, about the stick, and, when turned in this way, strains and wears, and sometimes breaks its connection with the braces. It-is also usual to providea siinple pin as a stop for the upward movement of the runner, but this does not furnish an even and entire bearing for the runner when pressed against it.

To remedy these difliculties or objections is the 'object of this invention; and

It is accomplished by providing the stick A with a straight longitudinal groove, B, as shown in both figures.

This groove extends over the whole distance thatis travelled by the runner D, to which the braces O of the frame E are pivoted or connected in any suitable manner.

To the runner D is pivoted a thumb spring catch, F, near its center, and having a pin, a, projecting at right angles to its length, connected to its top so as to pass through a hole in the runner, andenter the groove B, as clearly shown in fig. 1, and also having under its opposite end aspring, b, as clearly shown in the same figure.

At the upper and lower extremities or ends of the groove B' there is a small hole or socket, c, of the proper size to admit the end of the pin (1-, so that, when the umbrella is closed, the pin will enter the lower one and keep "it closed, or, when raised, it will enter the upper one and keep it raised oropen.

The spring I), it will be seen, constantly holds the pin a in the groove B, and forces it into the holes or sockets in each end of the groove, so that tbe'pin not only serves'to hold the runner in place, but prevents its turning at all on the stick.

' At the point where it is'desired to limit the upward 'movement of the runner, a cylindrical stop or collar, G, with a flange, d, is securely attached, as shown in fig. 1, so arranged that the upper end of the runner and the flange of the stop may come evenly and closelytogether, in order that the runner may beheld nearly motionless when fastened up by its catch, and the umbrella prevented from turning.

' In this way, it will be seen that a convenient and. simple device is provided for holding the frame of the umbrella in position when closed or open, and one which prevents any turning of the runner on the stick, and, also, that a stop is provided for limiting the up ward movement of the runner, and which, at the same time, presents an even bearing around the stick for the runner to press or strike. against, and serves, also, to prevent the umbrella from being turned inside out.

Having thus described our invention,

\Vhatwe claim is In combination with the runner D, having the spring catch-F provided with the pin a, the groove B with socket cin the, handle, constructed substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

THOMAS B. PENIOKS. JOSEPH HEFFLY.

Witnesses S. OwlrIILLS, D. McLAUGHLIN. 

